


Black and Blue

by geekdom_is_wisdom



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Gen, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-09
Updated: 2014-09-09
Packaged: 2018-02-16 18:16:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2279859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekdom_is_wisdom/pseuds/geekdom_is_wisdom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras shows up at the emergency room, bloodied and in handcuffs, but his doctor is more interested in scolding than treating him. It came as no surprise that he was unlucky enough that his visit coincided with the time of Joly's night shift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black and Blue

It was the first of Joly’s rounds of clinical placements, and he had ended up with two months of night shifts in the emergency ward. Bossuet and Muschietta had been furious that their date nights had been so thoroughly ruined, but Joly couldn’t be happier – he had managed to gain a place at one of the city hospitals, and had become an object of envy for his classmates forced into rural clinics.

Nonetheless, the work was frantic, and this night more than any other. Already Joly had treated half a dozen patients with severe lacerations, and another dozen with assorted burns, bruises and breaks. The ward was overflowing with patients, the waiting rooms growing ever more crowded and manic, and the sound had reached the point of raucousness. 

Joly kept his head down, working thoroughly but with as much speed as he could muster, and he all but tuned out the hubbub.

Suddenly, a raised voice from behind him made the rest of the emergency room fall silent. Joly spun, expecting to encounter a disgruntled patient and instead meeting the expectant glare of a police officer. Beside him stood his evident detainee, the young man’s hands cuffed behind his back. His blond curls were slightly dampened with sweat, and as he shot Joly a sheepish grin revealed a set of bloodstained teeth.

“I can explain.” Enjolras began, but was cut off by one of the officers before he could continue.

“This man needs to be treated immediately.” he barked, maintaining a tight grip on Enjolras’ forearm.

“Has he been seen by triage?” Joly returned, coolly professional but with undertones of annoyance – at the officer’s bluntness or at Enjolras, he was not sure himself.

“This man is under arrest for public disturbance and criminal damage. He needs to be detained.” the officer demanded. “There’s a protest in the central business district, and – “

“I know, we’ve been getting in assault victims all night.” Joly cut across irritably. “I’m sorry, but as you can see we’re extremely busy, and you can’t just bypass our protocol because – “

“Are you attempting to obstruct justice?” the officer questioned sharply. Enjolras rolled his eyes, but fortunately this escaped the other man’s notice. Joly fought against his smirk.

“No, officer, I wouldn’t dare.” he replied with poorly feigned solemnity. “And considering it is for our friends in law enforcement, I may be able to accelerate your processing - if you would just allow me a quick word with my supervisor…”

Joly ducked away before the policeman could respond, crossing the bustling space and approaching the ward manager. Her pen scrawled hastily across the clipboard tucked into the crook of her elbow, and Joly cleared his throat as he neared her.

“You’re dealing with the cop?” she asked, without looking up.

“I’m trying to, but he wants to – “

“Skip the queue? They always do.” she stated shortly. “Luckily for him, we’re too busy to argue tonight. Get him out of here, ASAP.”

“Yes, doc.” Joly replied keenly, hurrying back to the patient and his difficult overseer, only to find them gone from the waiting room. A panicked scan located them in one of the side treatment rooms; the policeman had taken the liberty of handcuffing Enjolras to the hospital bed.

“I can take it from here, officer.” Joly stated, deliberately making a fuss by the bedside and seizing up his stethoscope so as to appear as busy as possible. The policeman stepped back and Joly took the opportunity to sweep the curtains shut, shielding he and Enjolras from the officer’s view.

“Enjolras, this is getting out of hand.” Joly hissed immediately, eyeing his friend with a look of scathing. 

“You think this is my fault?” he returned indignantly. “I was exercising my rights to freedom of speech and assembly when I was wrongfully attacked, and – “

“Ssh, that’s enough, you’ll work yourself into a state. Just shut up for a second, alright?” Joly requested, examining the gash across Enjolras’ cheek. “Any other cuts, apart from this one?”

Enjolras shook his head. “No, that’s it. Someone smashed a window… And then a cop punched me.”

“I can hardly blame them for that.” Joly replied, with a humorless laugh; the side of his face had begun to flower into an ugly bruise. “What was the protest for this time? Women’s rights? Religious oppression in the Middle East?”

“Ending police brutality.” Enjolras replied shortly. In spite of himself, Joly sniggered.

He doused a cloth in saline and used it to clean away the blood and grime surrounding the gash. Enjolras made no indication of feeling the sting.

“How many times, Enjolras?” Joly muttered, setting aside the bloody cloth. “This is the second time I’ve treated you in as many weeks - you’ve still got those burns all up your arms from those bloody flares! On how many occasions do you have to visit the emergency room before the time comes when we’re visiting you in the morgue?”

“What am I supposed to do, avoid the protests out of self-preservation?” Enjolras spat.

“Yes!” Joly returned in exasperation. 

“My physical wellbeing is of little consequence in the big picture.”

“Well, be that as it may, I’m going to have to start telling Combeferre.”

“What? No!” Enjolras protested immediately, before gathering his composure. “I mean, that would be a poor decision – “

“Would it? I mean, if anyone can talk sense into you, it’ll be ‘Ferre.” Joly pointed out, seizing an adhesive bandage out of the drawer and slamming it shut with excessive aggression. “You can’t keep getting injured like this, not to mention arrested!”

He glanced nervously towards the curtain that divided them from the police officer, but they remained undisturbed. Whilst peeling the bandage and applying it to the gash, Joly added in an undertone:

“If it were Grantaire going out and getting bloodied every other day, would you stand by and watch?”

Enjolras’ shuddered compulsively, the handcuff at his wrist jangling against the metal of the hospital bed. He had to force his voice to remain level as he replied.

“That’s a completely different – “

“No, it isn’t.” Joly cut across shortly, stepping back to examine his handiwork. “I will not have you in here every weekend, covered in blood. I don’t care about your noble pursuit of martyrdom, I will not allow it. Is that understood?”

Enjolras’ face was as cold and still as stone, but then he nodded, a single, sharp movement.

“Good.” Joly barked authoritatively. “Now, let’s get back your guard dog before he tries to arrest me again. I’m on duty for a few more hours, but I’ll text R and get him to bail you out.”

“Don’t bother.” Enjolras replied immediately – the thought of Grantaire spending such an amount of money on him when he could barely afford his own medications was nauseating. “He’s busy with an art project, and besides, a night in lock-up won’t kill me.”

Joly shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled back the curtain. 

“Here you are, officer. He’s good to go.” he stated with feigned brightness.

The officer gave no response of thanks. He released Enjolras from the bed, readjusted the handcuffs to behind his back, and marched off down the corridor with a tight grip on his shoulder.

“That fool is going to get himself killed.” Joly muttered under his breath.


End file.
